Stamp-affixing machine.



L. ONDERDONK.

STAMP AEFIXING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED SEPT.28. l9l0- RENEWED MAY10.1918.

Patented Dec. 31, 1918.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

M mw

ATTORNEY.

L. ONDERDONK.

STAMP AFFIXING MACHI APPLICATION FILED SEPT-28.1910. RENEWED MAY I0.I9IB.

Patented Dec. 31, 1918.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WITNESSES A OR/VEK L. HYDERDONK.

STAMP AFFIXING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT-28,1910. REHEWED my ID. 191x.

Patented Dec. 31, 1918.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

m/mvrom A770 EK WITNESSES- L. ONDERDONK,

STAMP AFFIXING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT.28, I910. RENEWED MAY 10.1918.

Patented Dec.b1,191 8.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

[WE/V701? 7 I I ATM/WE).

m. JHDMFJHY -1 llllllll H I/ VIT IVE 88E 8 406 Q L. ONDERDONK.

STAMP AFFIXING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT-28. 1910- RENEWED MAY 10. 1918.

1,289,240, Patented Dec.31,1918.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

A TOIiWEY.

snares Pa rs 'r ai man.

STAMP-AFFIXING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.-

Patented Dec. 31, 19518.

Application filed September 28, 1910, Serial No. 584,195. Renewed May10, 1918. Serial No. 233,788.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LANSING ONDERDONK, a citizen of the United States,residing in the borough of Manhattan, city, county, and State of NewYork, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Stamp-Ailixing Mchines, of which the following is a description.

This invention relates to machines adapted for delivering articles ofvarious kinds wound in webs or reels, and has perticular reference tomechanism capable of delivering or vending such articles one-byonesuccessively, and, if required, aflixing 'the same to a given article.

In order that my invention may be more readily comprehended, I haveshown the same in connection with a -stamp-aflixing machine; but, I wishit understood that such illustration is not to be taken as a limitation,but simply as an example of its use.

Among the objects of my invention may be noted the following: toprovidea stampaflixing machine with a feedin mechanism adaptedparticularly -for fee ing perfo rated articles such as stamps; toprovide a feeding mechanism which will be positive in operation, simplein construction and accurate in its manipulation of, the stamp or otherarticle; to provide a feeding mechanism comprising a plurality ofyielding points adapted to register with the perforations bet-ween thearticles and feed the latter.

by such cooperation; to provide a feeding mechanism which will not tearor mutilate the stamos or other articles, but which will be positive andaccurate in its action; to provide means for feeding and counti thearticles as they are deliveredyto provide a feeding mechanism incombination-with a counting mechanism of such character that but onestamp at a time can be fed from the machine and. ever stam so fed willbe counted, and whic cannot be made to deliver a stamp without a recordthereof'produced; to provide a moistening device which will beeffective, simple and cheap, and which will not waste the liquid; toprovide a measuring device which will deliver a small and predeterminedamount of liquid tothe moistening device, and operate to prevent anexcess of liquid being imposed upon the article; to provide an automaticmeans 7 for filling the moistening ehamber,.keeping it properly filled,and preventing it from overflowing; to provide means for properly tomanu handling the stamp and presenting it to the moistening means; toprovide automatic means for removing the moistening device fromcooperative relation with the article when desired; to provide meanswhereby the machine may be locked to a table or support and removedtherefrom at will; to provide means for preventing the machine frombeing robbedor the articles taken therefrom under any circumstancewithout detection or a record thereof being made; and to provide certainnovel detailsof construction involving the feed-drum and its actuatingmechanism, the moistening-device, stripguide and other associated partswhich will render the machine positive and accurate in operation simplein construction and cheap facture.

With the above objects in view, and others which will be detailed duringthe course of this description, my invention consists in the parts,features, elements'and combinations of elements and mechanisms, all ashereinafter described and claimed.

In order that my invention may be fully understood, I have provideddrawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a vertical section of one form of my invention takensubstantially centrally of my machine from front to rear Fig. 4 is asection substantially on the line 44 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the drum-controlling mechanism in aposition difi'erent from that of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6' is a front elevation of the feeddrum, a part being broken out toshow details of construction;

Fig. 7 is an elevation of a portion of the base of the machine showingthe cooperative arrangement of the counting mechanism and the feedingmechanism;

Fig. 8 is a sectional elevation showing the parts of Fig. 7 I

Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 1-- showing another form of myinvention and the reservoir in two positions.

Fig. 10 is a partial elevation and secfeed-drum-controlling mechanismand other details of construction;

tion of the machine of Fig. 9 looking at the opposite side and showingthe plunger'in the lower osition;

Fig. 11 1s a perspective view of one form of moistening device andindependent stamp or strip-guide;

Fig. 12 is a detail showing the feed-actuating mechanism of the form ofFig. 10;

Fig. 13 is a, horizontal sectional view on the line 13-13 of Fig. 9,parts being broken away to show details;

Fig. 14 is a side elevation of the lower portion of the machine of Fig.10, parts being broken away to show details and the reservoir beingshown in'two positions;

Fig. 15 1s a sectlon on line 1'5-15 .of Fig. '14;

Fig. 16 is a perspective view of the ma chine locked to a support orbase;

Fig. 17 is a perspective view of the support; and

Fig. 18 is a sectional detail showing the means for locking the machineto the suppo Referring to the drawings, in the form of my inventionshown in Figs. 1 to 8, the

' frame-portion of the machine is composed of like parts 1 and 2,secured together by screws or rivets, and also by a cylindricalhandle-portion 3, with which cooperates a sliding-sleeve 4, the saidparts 3 and 4 producing a chamber 5, within which a spring 6 is housedand which surrounds, a plunger 7, the upper end of which is providedwith a reduced extension 8, screw-threaded into the head 9 of saidsleeve, the said spring engaging a disk 10 at the upper end of theplunger and the circular portion 11 is formed by the two frame-parts 1and 2 at the bottom. A collar 12 is threaded upon the shouldered lowerend 13 of the sleeve 4 and between these two parts packing 14 is appliedfor the purpose of making anair tight joint. The head 9 is provided witha plurality of passages 15, extending from the outside thereof into thechamber 5, in which a circular valve '16 is located and supported by thedisk 10, providing a slight clearance between the latter and the bottomof the head for the passage of air. The frame is also provided with acover 17 hinged thereto by pin 18, and forming part of a receptacle, theother portion 19 of which is formed in the two-part frame. The cover isnormally closed by means of a latch-portion 20, carried at the lower endthereof and engaging with a catch-portion 21, on the upper end of areservoir 22, which latter is journaled at 23, so as to swing downwardlyfrom the frame, said reservoir extending clear to the bottom of themachine-frame. The journal of the reservoir is provided with a valve 24,communicating with the tube 25 at itslower end, and the upper end ofwhich communicates with the air-passage aeaaac nicating with the valve28 in the lower for ward end of the reservoir 22, which valvecommunicates with the reservoir and with the spraying-nozzle 29, Thereservoir has in its rear wall a transparent portion 30 and is alsoprovided with a removable bottomportion 31 and an inlet 32 controlled bya removable screw-plug 33. The receptacle formed in the frame and by thecover has a reel-holder 34, journaled therein at 35, and a reel 36 issupported upon said holder, the web. of said reel being threaded throughthe. machine, as shownin Fig. 1. The face-plate 37 is provided inadvance of the feeding mechanism and the reservoir, saidface-platehaving an inclined transverse slot the lower wall 38 of whichis beveled to provide a ledger-blade which cooperates with a.cutter-blade 40, carried in the cutter-holder 41, secured rigidly to thelower end of the plunger 7. The face-plate 37 is also provided with apassage 42, into which the nozzle 29 projects and through which thestamp is sprayed preparatory to aifixing it to the article. Alocking-device 44 is carried by the forward end of the reservoir, whichcooperates with the frame of the machine in a manner to lock thereservoir in closed position. The head of the plunger is provided with ashort, laterally-extending pin 45, traveling in a groove 46 in theframe-portion 1, and at its opposite end is provided with a longer pin47, extending through a slot 48 in the frame-portion 2, and engaging alever 49, by means of which the valve or meter 28 is actuated. Some ofthe parts so far de- 105 scribed are substantially the same as in myapplication, Serial No. 570,234, filed July 5, IQIOfitfidIl'iaofv:illustrated the same to show how the various features of constructionare adapted to interact and cooperate 110 for the purposes set forth,and alsoto accentuate the breadth of my present invention, as well asthat of my aforesaid application.

The feeding mechanism of this form of 115 my invention comprises thefeed-drum composed of a cylinder or barrel 50, having a plurality ofradial apertures or sockets 51, in each of which is set a coiled-spring52, surrounding a stem 53, and hearing at its 2 outer end against a head54 of said stem, which head has projecting from it a roundpointedfeeding-pin 55, several of which project through each of the plates 56,arranged longitudinally of said drum and set 12 with its surface flushwith the surface of said drum. Thus the pins normally project from theperiphery of the drum in parallel rows. At one end the drum is providedwith a plurality of circumferentially- 130 extending cams 57 ,four innumber,or a plate secured to the said drum, the periphery of which isformed into said cams, said cams being produced by tangential surfacesextending from one notch 58 to another around the periphery of said diskor drum. The notches 58 are arranged between the high part of one camand the low part of the next adjacent cam and just in advance, in thedirection of travel of the drum, of a row of feeding-pins 55. Theopposite end of the drum is provided with a plurality of studs 59,extending therefrom parallel with the axis thereof, there being four innumber corresponding to the four notches and cam surface. The studs arearranged, considering the direction of feed of the drum, just behind therows of feeding-pins 55. The circumference of the feeddrum, as hereinshown, for example, is the exact length or width, as the case maybe, offour postage stamps, it .being understood that the stamps, or otherarticles, may be joined by perforations along their lengths or alongtheir widths; and the circumference of the drum may be varied to anyextent to accommodate any character of article desired to be vended ordelivered or aflixed. The cutter-holder 41, which is fixed to theplunger 7, has on its upper surface a lug 60, affording a journal for anactuating-pawl,

the long arm 61 of which extends into the path of movement of the pins59, and the short arm 62 of which is arranged so as to engage a cam 63,provided on the side of the frame-part 1 directly in the path of movement of said arm. Preferably, the arms of the pawl are arrangedsubstantially at a right-angle to each other and the normal position ofsaid pawl is substantially that shown in Fig. 1. The lug 60 is providedwith a laterally-extending lug 64, against which the short arm 62 of thepawl engages, said lug operating as a stop to prevent the long armthereof from being pushed farther down than substantially parallel withthe cutter-holder of the plunger. This stop 64, on the one hand, and thecam 63, on the other, constitute means whereby the pawl is positivelyactuated and is positive in its action in driving the feed-drum and bywhich the use of springs to return the pawl to operative position isobviated. For every reciprocation of the plunger, the feed-pawl gives asingle feed movement to the feeddrum, this feed movement occurring onthe upstroke of the plunger. A detent-device comprising the bell-cranklever 65 is journaled in the frame-portion 2 of the machine, just abovethe feed-drum, as at 66, and having one arm 67 extending substantiallyhorizontally over the periphery of the cams of the feed-drum and theother arm 68 descending substantially vertically into position tocoiiperate with said cams 57 and the notches lever just forward of itsfulcrum.

machine and maintained under tension by means of a pin 74, projectingfrom said frame-portion, with which engages the short arm of the springwith a normal tendency to force the long arm 75 of the latter yieldinglyinto engagement with the bell-crl'ank 40 ward of its fulcrum, thebell-crank lever also carries a spring-controlled pawl, one arm 76 ofwhich is held in engagement with an abutment 77, carried by thebell-crank lever by means of the spring 7 8, fixed to the depending-arm68 of said lever. other arm 79 of the'pawl is thus held in the path ofmovement of a pin 80, projecting from the plunger 7, said pin 80, inthis instance, being carried by a collar 81, clamped upon said plungerand adjustable thereon by means of the clamping-screw 82. Adjustment ofthe pin 69 regulates the extent to which the bell-crank lever may bemoved so as to force its toe 70 from the notches of the feed-drum. Adownward movement of the plunger causes its pin 80 to strike the arm 79of the pawl on its top and thus drive it downwardly against the tensionof its spring 78, this movement aiding the spring 75 to keep the toe 70in cooperative connection with one of the notches 58. The upwardmovement of the pin The striking the arm 79 of the pawl on its I pin 69to engage the periphery of one of,

the cams 57. See Fig. 5. The swinging of the lever 65, upon its fulcrum,moves the pawl away from the pin 80, thus allowing the latter to pass onits upward movement and the spring 75 to again assume control of lever65 and return its .toe 70 into engagementwith the cam-periphery of thefeed-drum ready for coiiperation with a notch 58. This -mechanismoperates as a positive lock to prevent overthrow of the feed-drum ineither direction, and also has the important function of preventing saiddrum from being turned more than. the length of a stamp or other articleby any means other than the plunger. toe 70 is out of engagement with anotch When the 58, the screw 69 will be in positive engage- ,ment with acam 57, provided the feeddrum should be advanced suficiently to pass thenotch 58, from which the toe had been lifted, beyond said toe and whenthe high portion of a cam 57 is engaged with the screw 69, the feed-drumis compelled to stop and cannot be given a further feeding movementuntil said cam and screw are disengaged. Hence, the feed movement of thefeed-drum is positive and intermittent and can only be imparted by theplunger operating the bell-crank lever 65 in the manner described. Thisis an important feature of my invention because it prevents the removalof stamps or other articles from the machine except as intended andaccording to the rule of action of the machine.

In order that every feed movement of the feed drum shall be registeredand every stamp delivered accounted for, a countingdevice 83 of anycommon construction, such as the Veeder, is secured to the frame-portion1 on the outside thereof adjacent the feed-drum, said counting-devicehaving connected to its shaft 84 an angular arm 85, extending through aslot 86 in said frameportion and having its outer end 87 normally heldby the spring 88 in the path of movement of the pins 59 in the end ofthe feed-drum. One of the pins striking the arm-end 87 will move theshaft of the counter sufiiciently to cause a registration of thefeed-movement and, as the pin passes, the spring will return the arm toits normal position.

From the foregoing description, the mode of operation of this form of myinvention will be fully understood from the following:

By shifting the latch 44, the reservoir will be unlocked andenabled toswing downwardly away from the feed-drum, this movement releasing thelatch 21 from the catch 20 of the cover, enabling the latter to belifted to open the receptacle for the admission of the reel of stamps orother articles. The reel and holder being inserted in the machine, theend of the web will be passed between the frame-portion 19 and the topof the reservoir, either as shown by full lines, or by dotted lines, inFig. 1, and thence carried around the feed-drum 50, above thestrip-guide 90, and under the stripper-plate 89 and through the slot inthe face-plate 37. Thecover will then be lowered and the reservoir swunginto closed position, by which movement the cover is looked, as will be.

iaeaaao guide 90, secured to the upper end of the reservoir. If it sohappens that the stampperforations are not in position to be entered byall of the feed-pins 55, those that do not enter will be depressed intothe feedroll against the tension of their springs. In this connection,it should be noted that it is not necessary that all of the pins in arow shall enter the perforations between articles at the same time; but,it is intended that said pins shall be so spaced that any two or moremay register with the perforations, while the others may be depressed bycontact with the web or solid portions of the articles, it beingunderstood that perfect andpositive feeding is accomplished by thecoiiperation of one or more of said pins with a like number ofperforations. Hence, the importance of this portion of my inventionresides in the fact that the feed-pins are so arranged that some of themwill always register with the perforations even though the latter shouldnot be equally spaced, or not be in a straight line, thus avoiding theliability of failure to feed the articles, which might result from anattempt to space the pins correspondingly with the perforations; that isto say, it is well known that the perforations between stamps, forexample, are

not always evenly spaced, nor always in a straight line, so, by makingthe pins yielding, the stamps are not in ured' and compensation is hadfor irregularity in spacing or line-up of perforatlons. However, the

both circumferentially and laterally, the

feed-drum is so constructed that a positive and accurate feed-movementis produced for every successive movement of rotation thereof. Thesprings 52 are not sufiiciently strong to cause the pins to eitherpenetrate or injuriously engage, or bear upon the stamps, should theynot happen to register with the perforations. Nevertheless, by reason ofthe strip-guide 90 and the slots therein, as the feed-drum is rotated,one or more of the pins will find one or more of the perforationsbetween the articles and thus perform the function of positively feedingthe same forward for deli-very. The plunger will now be depressed, bypressure upon the head 9, which will compress the air within the chamber5 of the handle, thus causing the valve 16 to close the air-passage insaid head. Air will thus be forced through the passage 26, the tube 25,the valve 24, and the tube 27 in the reservoir so as to drive waterthrough the meter or valve 28 and spray the game aside the pawl-arm 79and help to hold the toe 70 in a notch .58, thus holding the feeddrumfrom movement. Also, the feed-pawl will yield in passing one of thefeed-drumactuating pins 59 {and continuation of the downward movement ofthe plunger causes the cutter to cut a stamp or other article from thevweb, which .will be moistened prior to the cutting operation, andaflixed at the end of the down-stroke of the plunger. The feed movementtakes place on the return movement 'or-upstroke of the plunger by thelong arm 61 of the feed-pawl engaging one of the pins 59; but, prior tothis move- -ment to feed the. drum, the pin 80 engages thepawl-arin"79"on' the bell-crank lever 65, thus moving the toe 70 of saidlever from the notch 58 in the periphery of the 'feeddrum in whichit'has been set, after which the pawl arm 61, in its upward movement,will drive the feed-drum to impart thereto the feeding movement. As theplunger con- .tinues to rise and its pin 80 passes the pawlarm 79, thebell-crank lever is forced toward the feed-drum and its toe 70 engagesan adjacent cam-surface, said toe being thus ready to drop into a notchas the drum revolves to impart the proper feeding movement. Positiveengagement of the toe 70, with a notch.58, is caused by the high portionof the cam 57 engaging said toe so that the latter cannot override thenotch into which it should descend, and the spring 75 bearing upon thebell-crank lever 65 forces said toe into said notch. thus stopping thefeed movement of the drum at the proper point. This action of the lever65 causes the pin 69, on arm- 67, to be lifted above the path of thehigh point of the cam 57, as shown in Fig. 3; but, should the drum beturned while the toe of arm 68 is free of a notch 58, the drum would beprevented from having a feed movement,-'or being manipulated in any wayso as to obtain an. article without operation of the plunger 7 orregistering its action,by the engagement of the pin 69 with the highwall of an adjacent notch 58, or by entering said 7 notch, thus lockingthe drum from movement in either direction. This is an important part ofmy invention, since the arm 68 and its toe 7 0 cofiperate with the arm67 and its pin 69 to control the action of the feed-drum and insure itsproper action at the proper time. The arm 61 of the feedpawl, as theplunger 7 moves down, will be lifted by engagement with a feed-pin 59,

65 and subsequently, near the end of the downstroke of said plunger,will be depressed or reset, by engagement of arm 62 with cam 63 on theside of the frame-part 2,-see Fig. 1.

-No overthrow or back-lash of the feeding and controlling devices isthus possible, the feeding movement is positive and the stops betweenfeeding movement are positive, so that only one stamp at a time can befed from the machine for each complete reciprocation of the plunger, thedelivery of the article taking place on the up-stroke of the plunger andonly according to the proper action of the machine.

For every feed-movement of the drum, one of the studs 59 engages thelever 85 of the counting-device 83, giving to said lever a completemovementin one direction, thus registering the feed-movement orstamp-de- 'li"ery, the spring 88 returningsaid arm to its normalposition for cotiperationwith the succeeding studs on the feed-drum.

Thus it will be-seen that for every complete reciprocation of theplunger a complete feed-movementis accomplished. which delivers a stampfrom the web in position to be sprayed, cut and aflixed, and that saidstamp is cut from the web, sprayed, and pressed by the bottom of thecutter-holder upon the article to which it is to be applied. It willalso be seen that every feedmovement is counted or registered; thatevery feed-movement is positive; that, after each feed-movement, thefeed-drum is'locked against any further feed-movement until the plungeragain descends to actuate the feeddrum; and since some of the feed-pinsare in coiiperation with some of the holes in the strip of articles noneof the articles can be drawn through the machine by hand. Hence, everystamp delivered from the machine is accounted for and the filching ofstamps from the machine is prevented. And amon the important features ofmy invention is the means by which the registering mechanism and thefeeding mechanism cooperate to efiect the counting of each and everyarticle delivered, since the feed-drum is guarded against manipulationother than in a regular way; also. the means which prevents operation ofthe register, except when the drum has been moved far enough to properlyfeed an article, is important. And by placing the arm 87 and spring 88out of reach and covering them, they cannot be manipulated from theoutside.

In that form of my invention illustrated in Figs. 9 to 15, the generalframe-structure, the ree lholder, the cutting mechanism, and thefeed-drum are all substantially the same as illustrated in Figs. 1 to 8,inclusive, and these several features and mechanisms have not been shownwith the same detail as in Figs. 1 to 8. Figs. 9 to 15 are intended toillustrate an alternative form of feed-drum actuating mechanism, analternative form I vided, on its inside, with a latch-spring 91,

secured to said cover by means of a screw 92, and having at its outerend a stud 93, which enters an aperture in the ,frame-portion 19 of saidreceptacle. The spring is bowed so as to clear a key-hole slot 94, inthe cover-portion 17, in which slot may be inserted a key, the tongue ofwhich, when turned, may engage and lift said spring 91, and therebyremove its stud 93'from sald aperture, thus releasing the cover-portion17 and enabling it to be swung outwardly on its pivot 18, for theinsertion of the reel.

The moistening-device, in this form of my invention, consists of thereceptacle 22,:

constructed, in general form, the same as that of Fig. 1, but having itsforward end 95 narrowed, as shown in Fig. 11, in which narrowed end achamber 96 is formed, which communicates by a valve-chamber 97 with thereservoir in which the liquid is contained. The valve-chamber 97 isprovided with a cylinder 98, journaled therein at opposite ends, forfree rotation, and in its body is provided with a longitudinal V- shapedslot or groove 99, normally faced toward the reservoir, this slotreceiving the liquid from said reservoir and, when r0- tated, conveyingthe same to the chamber 96, in' the narrowed end of the reservoir-frame.In'the chamber 96 is journaled a shaft 100, upon Which is fixed a seriesof absorbent disks 101, of any suitable material, which 7 have a smallportion of their periphery projecting through apertures in the uppersurface near the forward end of said reduced portion 95 of thereservoir, said disks extending into the chamber 96, which is fed withthe liquid by the rotary valve. The shaftof the moistening-device andthe shaft of the valve are extended on one side through the frame of thereservoir and each is provided with a pinion, which pinions mesh witheach other and are located in the space provided bythe reduced forwardend of the reservoir. The shaft 100, of the moistening-device, isextended through the end 95 of the reservoir and provided with a pinion102, which meshes with a pinion 103, on the extended journal 104, of themeter or valve 98, see Fig. 11. The extreme end of the moistener-shaft100, beyond thepinion 102, is provided with another pinion- 105,-largerthan the one 102,which meshes with a large gear 106, secured to the endof the feed-drum, opposite the end car rying the actuating-pins 59.Hence, rotation of the feed-drum, causing rotation of naeaaae the gear106, will rotate the moistener-shaft pinions 105 and 1%, and the latter,in turn, will rotate the gear 103, and rotary valve or meter 98. Thesemovements of the moistener and the valve"arei1itermittently progressiveand, for each movement, the moistening-disks present a new wet surfaceto the article to be moistened, and for every such movement of themoistening-disks the measuring-valve is given a complete rotation, whichcauses itto carry liquid from the reservoir into the disk-chamber, thuskeeping said chamber well supplied with liquid. I Hence, the proportionof the pinions 102, 103 and 105 and gear 106 is such as tocause acomplete rotation of the meter 98 and of the moistener 101 to a quarterrotation of the feed-drum. This proportion of gear and pinions may bevaried, since it is clear that the important feature of this portion ofrg inwwmzign is in automatically\ measuring and fee mg the liquid to themoistening chamber to the extent necessary to keep the latter properlysupplied. Moreover, should the liquid in the chamber 96 be suflicient toprevent the valve 98 efiecting a discharge into said chamber, said valvewill necessarily retain the liquid until it can be discharged, sincesaid liquid is under no pressure that will cause it to discharge againstthe gravity of the liquid in said chamber. Hence, the measuring-valveautomatically keeps the liquid in the moistening chamber 96 at a certainheight irrespective of the quantity of liquid in the reser' voir; andthe position of the part, controlled by the valve, is high enough toadmit liquid enough to moisten the disks, and no more. This constructionand controlling means is also important because it permits carrying anydesired quantity of liquid, and enables the moistening means to bebrought down close to the base-line of the machine and the stamp closeto the article to which it is to be aflixed. Thi correspondingly reducesthe amount of plunger action, which is also a desirable feature. liquidin the disk-chamber "'96 substantially fill the same and more be addedthereto by the measuring-device, the amount thus added would be, on thecompletion of the rotation of the measuring-device, removed from theproject. Hence, also the. rotary-valve per- However, should the formsthe double function of feeding liquid to the chamber and preventing thechamber from overflowing, or objectionably filling. As in the other formof my invention, the reservoir is pivoted to the frame at 23, throughthe medium of a pair of separated lugs 107, between which, upon theournalpin, is mounted a lever having its forward end formed into arectangular head 108, and its rear end formed into an elongated, curvedarm 109, provided on its bottom with a triangular lug 110. Cooperatingwith this lug is the rounded end of a piston-head 111, the rod 112 ofwhich slides through an adjustable screw-plug 113, turned into the lowerend of a cylindrical, tubular bearing 114, extending rearwardly from thereservoir-frame, the piston-head sliding in the upper end of saidbearing and being normally pressed outwardly or upwardly means of acoiled-spring 115, encircling the piston-head and hearing at one endagainst said piston-head, and at the other end against said screw-plug.The curvature of the outer surface of the rearwardly-extending arm 109is such as to conform accurately with the curvature of the cover 17 andbodyportion 19 of the reel-receptacle and said extension is suflicientlylong to overlap and cooperate with a. portion of the cover 17. In thenormal position of the parts, as shown in Fig. 9, the piston-head bearsagainst the lug 110 of the lever-arm 109, thus pressing the latterupwardly against the cover 17, and, since the said cover and receptaclebody are unyielding, reverse pressure of the spring tends to swing thereservoir 22 about its journal 23, thus holding its forward end with themoistening-disks in the proper operative relation to the cooperatingparts of the machine. This action of the parts normally depresses therectangular head 108 of the lever, and the strip-guide, the latter, inthis instance, consisting of the shank 116, which rests upon therectangular head and has several screws 117 passing through it into thesaid head. The bodyportion 118 of the strip-guide is curvedlongitudinally and has longitudinal slots 119 in its curved portion, andat its lower end is enlarged as at 120 and provided at the extremeforward ends with vertically-extending lugs 121, between which. a stampor other article is heldand guided during the moistening operation andpreparatory to being fed forward and cut off for delivery, or beingaflixed to a given article. The enlarged forward end 120 of thestrip-guide is provided with a series of rectangular apertures 122,spaced correspondingly to the moistening-disks 101, and through whichthe latter project into engagement with the article to be moistened, asclearly shown in Figs, 13 and 15. Onopposite sides of the centeraperture 122, in the enlarged end of strip-guide.

the strip-guide, longitudinal ribs 123 are. located which provide spacedsupportsupon which the stamp or other article may rest, and at thesepoints, or along the lines of these ribs, he articles will not bemoistened, as will be readily understood. Normally.

the article will be at rest upon these ribs with the portions over theapertures in' engagement with the moistening-disks, and this relationwill continue while the machine is in operation; but, when the machineis not in use, or is to be laid aside for any length of time, thereservoir will be depressed, as shown by dotted lines in Figs. 9 and 14,so that the moistening-disks will recede from contact with the article,whereupon the ribs will support said article with its moistened partsout of contact with any surrounding portion of the machine, thuspreventing said article from sticking to the The reservoir may bedepressed and so held against the action of the spring 115 by means of adepressinglever 124, fulcrumed t0 the side of the frameportion 2, nearthe bottom and rear of the machine. The lever is provided with afinger-piece 125, for manipulating the same, and with a cam-surface 126which cooperates with a pin 127, projecting laterally from the reservoirthrough an open-end slot 128 in the frame. Hence, when the lever isdepressed so that its cam-surface will engage the pin, the reservoirwill be swung about its journal 23, thus depressing the forward end ofthe reservoir and the moistening-device carried therein. To provide fora sufficient depression of the reservoir, the bottom of the latter, atits forward end, is formed with an upward incline 129, which providessufficient clearance, between the bottom of the machine and the table'or support on which the latter may stand, for the forward end to bedepressed sufficiently to remove the moistening-disks a proper distanceaway from the article delivered by the machine. This movement of thereservoir separates the latter from the stripguide movement of whichlatter is prevented by the cotiperation of the extension 109 with thecover 17. Hence, the stri is not displaced, but is maintained in itsproper rela tion to the feed-pins of the feed-drum, as well moisture, aswould be the case were the moistening-disks allowed to remain in contactwith the article for any length of time. As before stated. thefeed-drum, as regards the feed-pins, the actuating-pins and the notchedcam-disk, as well as its location in the machine, is substantially thesame as in that form of my invention portrayed in Fig.1.

The drum-actuating means, however, have been slightlymodified in certaindetails in that form of my invention shown in Figs. 9 to 1 5. Thatisto'say, fixed to the top of the cutter-head 41, between the same and theplunger-7, is a late 130,,the forward end of which is provi ed with adepending bearing 131,- lying against, and parallel with, thecutter-headat one side thereof, said plate being also provided with avertically-extending lug'l32, near its forward end. To the bearingisjournaled a feed-pawl, the longarm=133 of whichjextends rearwardly inthe path'of the laterally-extending pins 59, carried by the feed-drum50, this arm lying normally substantially horizontal. The short arm 134of the pawl extends substantially at a right angle to the "lon arm andnormally substantially parallel ifltlthe plunger and is .prov-idedwith ahorivlon-.,

tally-extending lug 135, which 'coiiperates with the lug 132 on'theplate; -The long arm of the pawl works in a vertical'slot 136,.

in the face-plate '37, i the walls of which guide the same and, preventany lateralv or springing movement "under any. circumstance. 'Journaledin the-frame, abovethe feed-drum, is a controlling-lever 137, given theform substantially of a bell-crank with a portion of one side out out soas to provide arms 138,'the extreme ends. of which are inturned forl-coiiperation with the notches 58,.

in the periphery of the feed-drum or a plate securedthereto. This leverconstitutes part of a drum coiitrollingor detent mechanism and has anextension 139 back of its pivotal point 140, with which cotiperates aspring 141, the normal tendency of which is to force the lower inturnedend or toe 142 into engagement with one of the notches 58, or intoengagement with one of the peripheral cams 57. Just in rear of itspivot, the controlling lever has fulcrumed to it an actuating-dog ortappet .in the form of a bellcrank lever, one arm 143 of which extendstoward the plunger and the other arm 144 of which extends downwardly andcooperlever from engagement with the feed-drum so that the latter may begiven a feed movement. A cam-projection or collar 147 is fixed to theplunger 7, in proper coiiperative relation to the dog, and is providedon its actuating-face with an inclined surface or cam 148. As theplunger moves downwardly, the cam engages the arm of the dog, presses itdownwardly againstthe power of its spring, thus tending to force theinturned end or toe 142 of the controlling-lever into a notch 58 of thefeed-drum, thus preventing the same from having any movement during thedownward movement of the plunger. This is essential, since on thedownward movement of the plunger the actuating-pawl engages a pin 59,with a tendency to rotate the feed-drum, such rotation being preventedby the controllinglever, the toe of which, as just stated, cooperateswith one of said notches and is held firmly therein by the combinedaction of th spring and dog. As the plunger reaches substantially itslower limit of movement, the arm 133 of the feed-pawl passes the pinwith which it engages on its downward stroke and substantially at thesame time the cam 63 tilts it back into its substantially horizontalposition, shown by the dotted .lines in Fig. 12. Substantially at thesame -ll time, the controlling-dog is released by the cam-collar 147 and,allowed to assume the ,positiOnshown in Fig. 10, with its depending-armin engagement with the lug 145 of the controlling-lever. In thiscondition, the feed-drum is locked against a feed movement, thefeed-pawl is ready to impart a feed movement to the feed-drum and thecontrolling dog is ready to lift the toe of the controlling-lever fromengagement with the notch 58. The upward movement of the plunger causesthe cam-collar to engage the horizontal arm of the dog, which, throughits depending-arm, operates the controllinglever and moves itsdetent-toe 142 from the notch 58, thus freeing the feed-drum preparatoryto a feeding operation. Subse quently, on the continued upward movementof the plunger, the long arm of the feedpawl engages. the pinimmediately above it and as said pawl is now rigidly set with its shortarm against the lug 132, the feed-drum is given a movement of rotationcorresponding in extent with the movement of the feedpawl until thelatter has passed by the 00- operating-pin, the latter, during therotation of the drum, moving in the arc of a circle away from and offthe end of said feed-pawl. The parts are so proportioned and the extentof their movements is such that an'article of a given length, such as astamp, for example, is fed forward along the strip-guide, by thefeed-pins of the feeddrum, under the stripper-plate and through thethroat-plate into position to be severed by the cutter 40, on thesucceeding downward movement of the plunger. The sequence of operationof this form of my invention is substantially the same as that of theform shown in Figs. 1 to 8, since the feed movement of the drum takesplace on the upstroke of the plunger and the severing action occurs onthe downstroke of the plunger, during which downstroke an article ismoistened. There is this difference, however, between the operations ofthe machine of the two forms of my invention, viz., that on thedownstroke of the plunger, in the form of my invention shown in Figs. 1to 8, that article which is to be immediately severed is sprayed justprevious to being severed; but, in the form of my invention shown. inFigs. 9 to 15, that articlewhich is severed on the downstroke of theplunger has been moistened by the moistening-device on a previousdownstroke of the plunger, in consequence of which the article, when fedforward on the upstroke of the plung r, is moistened and ready for thesevering and affixing operations. In other words, in the form of Fig. 1,the moistening takes place after the feed-stroke and substantiallysimultaneously with the severing operation, while in the form of Fig. 9the moistening occurs during the feeding action and before the severingmovement of the plunger begins. In the form of my invention shown inFigs. 9 to 15, the roll of articles is inserted in the machine byunlocking the cover 17 and swinging it up, thus enabling the strip-guideand reservoir to be swung downwardly out of the way and out ofcooperation with the feed-roll. The reel is then inserted and the endthreaded down to the feed-drum, as in Fig. 1, the pins on the feeddrumbeing entered into the perforations of the stamps. The strip-guide andthe reservoir are then swung back and the cover 17 closed, whereupon thespring-catch 91 looks the parts in place. By this it will be seen thatthe stamp-receptacle and strip-guide are locked one by the other andindependently of all other parts of the machine.

. From the foregoin description, it will be seen that the moisteningmechanisms are interchangeable, as are also the feed-drumactuatingmechanisms, it requiring, in either instance, but a slight change in oneor the other of the frames and parts of the machine of Figs. 1 to 9 toadapt any of the mechanisms thereto. In other words, with only afewslight changes in the frameparts of Figs. 1 and 9, themoistening-device.

in either of these figures can be interchanged, likewise thefeed-drum-actuating means.

I desire to stress again that important feature of the feed-actuatingmechanism which involves the idea of means of preventing any feedmovement of the feeddrum taking place until after the plunger has beenmoved to its lowermost limit, and then caused or allowed to ascend toapproximately the point indicated by the parallel lines m, in Fig. 12,at which time the feeddrum is released by the controlling-leverpreparatory to a feed action, the said feeddrum being up to such timespositively locked against a feed movement. In consequence, a'person mayfool or tamper with the machine indefinitely by reciprocating theplunger between extremes, but until the extreme of downward movement hasbeen reached no feed movement can be imparted to deliver articles fromthe machine. Hence, the machine is safe against any attempt to extract astamp or article without being accounted for and every article that isdelivered is registered on the countingdevice, which, obviously, can beapplied to the form of my invention shown in Figs. 9 to 15 in the samemanner as shown in the form of my invention of Figs. 1 to 8.

In the foregoing description, I have described my machine moreparticularly with reference to its portable character, since it isobvious that, by reason of its compact structure and simple form, it canbe easily handled and carried about the office, or from place to place,without restriction and readily used for affixing stamps or labels tobulky packages; but, there are times when, and conditions under which,it may be desirable or necessary to fiX the machine in position upon atable or desk so that it may not be carried away and that it may alwaysbe readily found or located for use. With this object in view, I haveprovided a support or fixture to which my machine may be detachablysecured and firmly locked in place against removal and at the same timeprevent tampering with the machine, or removing the stamps or articlesin any manner. This part of my invention is illustrated in Figs. 16 to18, wherein the support is shown to consist of the front platform orreceiver 150, a rear portion or support 151, in the center of which is adove-tail groove 152, in

which the machine is set. The support may be secured to a table, desk,or other piece of furniture, by means of screws 153 passing through thebottom of the groove and into said furniture. elevated from the surfaceof the platform a short distance, as indicated at 154, this being forthe purpose of separating the forward I or delivery,end of the machinefrom the said platform and so as to enable thin, flat articles, such asletters, to be slid under the delivery end of the machine for thepurpose of having a stamp aflixed thereto in the event the machine isused for that purpose. For the urpose of cooperating with theoverhanglng portions 155 of the groove, the machine is provided alongits bottom, on opposite sides, with longitudinal ribs or flanges 156, ofa size suflicient to fit snugly but slide freely in the said groove.Hence, the machine can have in said groove only longitudinal movementsparallel with the The bottom of the groove is' surface of the support.In order to securely 7 look the machine in the support, aspringcontrolled latch, in the form of a lever 157, is pivoted at 158within one of the portions 151 of the support, the same being madehollow for the purpose. As shown in the drawings, the right-hand portionis so constructed, and the lever 157 is pivoted therein and is providedat its forward end with the locking-tongue 159, given any form desiredand cooperating with a recess 160, in the adjacent flange 156 ofthe'machine-frame. To limit the forward or locking position of thelever, the latter is provided with the extension 161, cooperating withthe stop 162, fixed at 163, by means of a screw. The locking-lever isnormally held in looking position by means of a spring 16A, normallyengaging the lever and pressing it toward the recess 160 and the flange156, the spring being fixed in place by means of the screw 16 5. Inorder to release the machine from its support, the locking-lever may bemanipulated by means of a key entered through the hole 166 in thesupport, so that its tongue may engage the lever and thus move itagainst its spring control and thus remove the locking-tongue 159, fromthe recess 160, in theflange 156. Hence, the machine is firmly locked inits support and yet capable of being quickly removed by one inpossession of the key.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent is:

1. A machine having, in combination, means for delivering articlestherefrom including a reciprocatory plunger; means for moistening thearticles; means for ailixing the articles as delivered; a rotaryfeeddrum; a lever mechanism between said drum and said plunger; saidlever mechanism including means movable with respect to the plunger andmeans cooperating with the drum for preventing movement being im partedto the drum except as the result of a predetermined movement of saidplunger.

2. A stamp-afiixing machine having, in combination, a receptacle for the.stamps, means for delivering stamps from the machine, a moisteningdevice, and'cooperating means for locking the receptacle and moisteningdevice for operation in the machine, said means being arranged so as toprevent the moistening device being released till the receptacle isopened.

3. A stamp-afiixing machine having, in combination, means for deliveringstamps, a movable moistening-device cooperating with the delivery means,and means for yieldingly holding the moistening-device in cooperativerelation to the delivery means.

4. A stamp-afiixin machine having, in combination, means r deliveringstamps, a strip-guide cooperating with the delivery means, a pivotallysupported moistening de-,

,means for moistening stamps, a strip-guide for the stamps, said guidebeing provided with supports above the moistening means to hold thestamps from engagement with the moistening-means at certain points.

7 A stamp-afiixing machine having, in combination, means for deliveringstamps, a moistening device movable on the machine, a strip-guidemovable relatively to the machine and moistening-device, and meanswhereby the moistening-device may be moved from cooperative relationwith the delivering device and guide and for holding the guide incooperative relation with the delivery means.

8. A stamp-affixing machine having, in combination, a stamp deliveringmeans and stamp moistening means, the latter comprising a rotarymoistenin and liquid measuring device, and means or actuating theseveral elements with a ratio of a complete rotation of the measuringdevice and moistening means to a quarter turn of the delivery means.

9. A stamp-affixing machine having, in combination, a stamp deliveringmeans and stamp moistening means, the latter comprising a rotarymoistening and liquid measuring device, and means for actuating theseveral elements with a ratio of a complete rotation of the measuringdevice and moistening means to a fractional turn of the delivery means.

10. A stamp-afiixing machine having,'in

combination, means for delivering stamps,

means for moistening stamps, means whereby the moistening means may bemoved from operative position, and meansfor holding the stamps out ofcontact with the delivery means and the moistening means when the latteris moved to an inoperative position.

11. A stamp-aiiixing machine having, in combination, means fordelivering stamps, means for moistening stamps, a cutting mechanism, andmeans for supporting the stamps at predetermined points out ofengagement with the moistening means until after said stamps have beendelivered beyond the cutting mechanism.

12. A stamp-affixing machine having, in combination, means fordelivering stamps, means for moistening stamps, cutting mechanism forcooperating with the stamps, and means for supporting the stamps betweenthe moistening means and the cutting mechanism to prevent the moistenedparts of the stamps contacting with any part of the machine before beingapplied to an article.

13. A stamp-afiixing machine having, in combination, means fordelivering a stamp therefrom, and means for moistening a stamp beforedelivery, said last named means being adjustably mounted on the machineso as to be movable relatively to the machine into and out of operativeposition with respect to the stamp.

14. A stamp-aflixing machine having, in combination, means fordelivering a stamp therefrom, and a reservoir and means carried therebyto engage the stamp and moisten the same before delivery, said reservoirand moistening means being adjustably mounted to be movable into and outof operative position.

15. A stamp-aflixing machine having, in combination, delivery means forthe stamps, a moistening device for the stamps, and a support for thestamps arranged adjacent the delivery means and the moistening device tonormally hold the stamp away from the moistening device at separatedpoints.

16. A stamp-afiixing machine having, in combination, stamp deliverymeans, stamp moistening means, and a support arranged between thedelivery means and the moistening means, said support being providedwith apertures through which the moistening means projects to engage thestamps.

17. A stamp-aflixing machine having, in combination, stamp deliveringmeans, means for moistening the stamp, a measuring device for supplyingliquid to the moistening means, and connections for causing themeasuring device to be actuated in accord- -tact therewith; a measuringance with the operation of the stamp delivering means.

18. A stamp-afiixing machine having, in combination, stamp deliveringmeans, means for moistening the stamp, a rotatable measuring device forsupplying liquid to the moistening means, and means for e fiuating themeasuring device in accordance with the operation of the stampdelivering means.

19. A stamp-affixing machine having, in combination, means fordelivering stamps, means for moistening stamps, means whereby themoistening means in bemoved from operative position, and means forholdlng the stamps out of contact with the delivery means and themoistening means when the latter is moved to an inoperative position.

20. A stamp-afiixin machine having, in combination, stamp deliveringmeans; means for applying moisture to the stamp by condevice forsupplying liquid, to the molsture applying means; and connections forcausing the measuring device to be actuated in accordance with theoperation of the stamp delivering means.

21. A stamp afiiXing machine having, in combination, stamp deliveringmeans; means for applying 'moisture to the stamp by contact therewith;a'rotatable measuring device for supplying liquid to themoisture-applying means; and means for actuatlng the measuring device inaccordance with the operation of the stam delivering means.

22. A stamp-afiixing machine having, in combination, stamp deliveringmeans, means for moistening the stamp, a rotatable measuring device forsupplymg llquld to the moistening means, and means for actuat ng themeasuring device in accordance wlth the operation of the stam deliveringmeans.

In testimony whereo I have hereunto signed my name in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses.

LANSING ONDERDONK. vWitnesses:

CHAS. M00. CHAPMAN, M. HERSKOVITZ.

